


Melanie Gets a Guide Dog

by empressventure



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: AU with no horrible fearpocalypse, Fluff, Gen, Melanie gets a guide dog, Spoilers for Season 4, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:13:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26259226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empressventure/pseuds/empressventure
Summary: She hadn’t felt this anxious in god knows how long, and it was sort of pissing her off. She’d thought if she’d had what it took to escape the world’s most hostile work environment, she’d have what it takes to meet a dog. A dog that would probably make her life quite a bit easier.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 19





	Melanie Gets a Guide Dog

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little disclaimer that I am a sighted person and I relied mainly on Youtube videos for research for this - especially by Fashioneyesta. This is also unbetaed bc I'm a horrible nightmare person!
> 
> Also, fun fact you can sponsor a guide dog here: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/donating

So, today was the day. Melanie was nervous, which was stupid. The twisting in her gut made her want to skip breakfast, but Georgie’s gentle disapproval and insistence that she eat _something_ had left her picking unenthusiastically at the dry toast on her plate. She hadn’t felt this anxious in god knows how long, and it was sort of pissing her off. She’d thought if she’d had what it took to escape the world’s most hostile work environment, she’d have what it takes to meet a dog.

A dog that would probably make her life quite a bit easier. She hadn’t even wanted to apply, originally - something about the guilt of having blinded herself. Georgie’s persuasion won out in the end though, and they’d made the phone call together. That was well over a year ago now, and Melanie had gone through months of taster days and handler training sessions to get to this point. Mostly it had been alright. The charity staff had got her trained in using a long cane, which was definitely useful, and she’d got to meet some interesting people along the way.

The worst part had definitely been the harness training. The mobility instructor showed up one day with a guide dog harness and no guide dog, explaining that they would be going for a walk to practice commands. Melanie really did not enjoy walking around central London with her invisible guide dog, telling it to “find the curb” or walk “straight on”. She might not have been able to see people staring, but she knew they were. Melanie could only hope she wasn’t recognised - “Disgraced Youtuber Melanie King Seen With Ghost Dog”. She felt like a proper idiot, but at this point she was invested.

The call had come in the early evening, while Melanie, Georgie and the Admiral cuddled on the sofa, listening to some podcast or other.

“Is this Melanie King?”

“Yes, what’s this about?”

“I’m calling from Guide Dogs for the Blind - we’ve got a dog that we think would be a good match for you, would you be interested in meeting him?”

And obviously she had said yes, otherwise she would be eating a much more exciting breakfast than dry toast and peppermint tea.

She was vaguely aware of Georgie tidying the kitchen around her, occasionally brushing past or knocking pots and pans, in an attempt to make the place look more presentable. The Guide Dog people had already checked the flat to make sure it was suitable, but Melanie still felt that clawing anxiety, the fear that they might show up and decide she wasn’t a good candidate after all. She decided to leave Georgie to her tidying - it couldn’t hurt, at least.

When the doorbell rang, Melanie almost jumped out of her skin. She smoothed her clothes self consciously as she went to get the door, hearing the jingle of the Admiral’s collar as Georgie scooped the cat up. They were all meeting the new dog today, and they didn’t want the Admiral to make a run for it and miss the chance to meet his new roommate. Or hopeful new roommate, anyway.

When Melanie opened the door she was greeted by a woman with an audible smile who introduced herself as Emily.

“And this,” Emily added, “Is Benny.”

Melanie felt a wet nose press against her palm in greeting, and crouched down to fuss the dog’s ears and say a proper hello. His fur was puppy soft beneath her hands and he huffed happily.

From behind her, Melanie heard Georgie laugh.

“I think he likes you! His tail is going a mile a minute!” She explained.

“Benny is such a sweet boy, super calm and well behaved,” came Emily’s voice, “He’s spent the past 6 months in a house with cats as well, so he’s pretty much perfect for you, Mel.”

Melanie tried not to recoil at the unwelcome nickname, deciding that now was not the most important time to be asserting her boundaries.

“Georgie, how about you bring the Admiral to meet him?” She heard the Admiral’s collar jingle close to her ear and heard Benny give a deep sniff. No barking, no yowling, all promising stuff.

“It’s best to let cats introduce themselves, you can set him down now and let him do his own thing. Seems like the boys like each other though.” Melanie heard Emily explain, but she was too busy getting overly attached to the animal in front of her to really pay any attention.

The meeting carried on in much the same way for a while, with Melanie and Georgie fussing the new arrival and letting him explore the flat, and Emily explaining the ins and outs of Guide Dog ownership.

“You’ll obviously have some more training over the next few weeks, just to make sure you guys are getting out and about safely,” said Emily, “Assuming, of course, you’re happy that this is a good match for you?”

And Melanie was. Melanie was very happy.


End file.
